I. Technology or business practices used to augment the solution (plus)

II. Conclusions and overall recommendations

III. High-level implementation plan

IV. Summary of project

PROPOSAL 1. Subject of Course Project The subject of my Course Project is TOP Bookstore using technology to increase competitiveness and profitability. It lacks in dealing with the competition because the word is not out about the bookstore and they do nothing to put themselves out and let others know they are there. I, for one, did not know about the bookstore until I was informed about the open position. Another problem with TOP bookstore is that…...

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...Northlake Bookstore: Benchmarking for Performance Evaluation
By:
Manuel Garza
Hugo Hinojosa
Graciela Rodriguez
Jose Garcia
Alejandro Arizpe
Carlos Arizpe
Summary of Facts
Upon assessment of the FY2004 financial information, Wendy Wiley, Northlake Bookstore’s manager, identified the first ever drop in book sales over the previous quarter. After identifying the drop in sales, Wendy turned to Chuck Irwin, the Vice Chancellor of Finance for Northlake University. He mentioned that Wendy should conduct a benchmarking analysis in order to identify the deficiencies that led to the drop in book sales. In addition, Chuck also asked Wendy to develop a set of short-term performance goals and measurements for future evaluations.
Northlake is a private university located in the Midwest U.S. Annual enrollment is estimated at 12,700 students. Northlake is overwhelmingly comprised of undergraduate students. Over 60% of the university’s revenues come from student tuitions, with the majority of the remaining 40% stemming from donations and gifts. Chucks, the Vice Chancellor, is worried that the donations and gifts have decreased dramatically during the current year. He believes this is due to the current uncertain economic conditions and the stock market’s erratic performance.
Wendy has been the bookstore’s manager for 7 years now. She previously worked as a Wal-Mart sales manager where she acquired15 years of experience......

...I. Introduction
Luck is only a small part of National Book Store's success. Through the hard work and powerful leadership of Socorro Cancio-Ramos and the late Jose Ramos with their family, the company has evolved from its humble beginnings into the biggest and strongest bookstore chain in the Philippines.
The first National Book Store started as a stall shop in Escolta before the Japanese occupation selling supplies, GI novels, and textbooks. When war broke out, strict book censorship forced them to shift their trade to soap, candies, and slippers. They bought their merchandise from wholesalers and peddled them to smaller retailers. Liberation came, but the whole Escolta area was burned to the ground. Having all their stocks reduced to ashes left the couple with nothing but determination and an undying drive to succeed. And their persistence paid off. They were able to rebuild a barong-barong in the corner of Soler and Avenida Rizal in time to catch the post-war business boom. They went back to business using their door as a counter for selling textbooks, notebooks, pad paper, and pencils. Business went very well because during that time, there were only a few stores that sold school supplies and books. National Book Store's opening was strategically timed to welcome the first postwar school year. 1948 brought another trial to the Ramos' life. Typhoon Gene destroyed their store and soaked all the merchandise. But this did not dampen the spirit and tenacity of the couple...

...objectives. Our first assignment related to the bookstore project was to identify the hardware and software as well as the databases and data communications. We were tasked with how the bookstores use the different databases, such as what information is stored, and what are possible issues. Our team identified several databases, as well as software and hardware used for the bookstore as part of the bookstore project research.
Week Two Objectives were to describe how and when to use databases in business; determine data communications needs based on business function; and use Microsoft office to accomplish business objectives. There were several database options that our team had to choose from in order to suit our bookstore project; our team decided on what we thought would be the best and least expensive to suit both our project and budget. Our team also went with the best options that pertained to software and hardware for our book store project. There were many options amongst the providers, but we decided to go with options that would the best financial benefit, and offered longevity.
Week Three’s objectives were as follows: determine how and when to use Internet technologies in business; determine collaboration tool needs based on business functions; write a discussion about whether the companies are meeting their business objectives; use Microsoft Office PowerPoint to accomplish business objectives. We were tasked with how the bookstores utilizes various software......

...-------------------------------------------------
Project Failures From the Top Down: Can Marchionne Save Chrysler
When Chrysler merged with Fiat on June 10, 2009, there was cause for hope and optimism. After an endless string of bad news, perhaps, the auto industry was not dead yet.
On paper it looked like a good deal for everyone. Fiat would return to the US market and sell its popular 500 (Cinquecentro), Chrysler would acquire a line of cars that consumers might actually buy, and tens of thousands of workers would keep their jobs.
But the real prize might just be Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat and now CEO of FiatChrysler.
When he first became CEO of Fiat in 2004, Marchionne inherited a company on the brink of failure. It manufactured a lackluster product line and had suffered more than $12 billion in losses over the previous five years.
To transform the company he embarked on several strategic and operational projects. He fired senior managers, upended a bloated bureaucracy, and brought a team of young aggressive managers on board. Then, he reviewed all projects and killed those that could not pass the market test. And he hired new designers, and demanded a portfolio of exciting projects that would bring customers back to dealer showrooms.
In less than three years he succeeded in one of the most impressive turnarounds in automotive history.
Now, as part of his plan to grow Fiat into a global competitor he has taken on Chrysler. But, can he perform his magic again? Can he......

...
ABSTRACT
“Making Crossword Was A Dream, A Belief, and A Passion. The Dream Was To Make A World-class Book Shop, The Belief Was That Books Make A Difference, And The Passion Was In The Magic Of Books And For Delighting Customers.” Mr.R.Sriram (CEO Crossword)
Retailing in India is a big industry, bigger than the IT industry. It has a turnover of 205 billion every year in sales. And it is supposed to grow 300% in the next 5 years. The only problem in India is that most of it is unorganized.
Crossword's secret of success is not to just offer a wide range of products, but to create an ambience that would get the customer to spend more time, and money, at the store. They were one of the first bookstores to have seating arrangements where customers could relax and read. They also added services like dial-a-book, where customers can order a book on the phone and they will deliver it at no extra cost. Free home delivery was also firstly introduced by them. Most of their marketing money is spent on direct marketing to their book rewards members, and those members adding value and experience in their store.
The main highlights of the report are:
* Coverage of Retail outlets of Crossword in Pune.
* Site evaluation done by us.
* Organizational structure.
* Category of products & its product line.
* Positioning strategy.
* Main competitors.
“Not many people have the will to turn their passion into their......

...CHAPTER 4
INDUSTRY AND COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Industry Analysis
4.1 Porter's Five Forces
A. Rivalry among Competing Firms - Weak
Rivalry among competing firms is considerably low since NBS has maintained its position on being the largest and top bookstore and distributor of the country.
Moreover, there are relatively fewer sellers that any one company's actions have little direct impact on rival's business. Products of rival competitors were also somehow different in approach as to which, say, Fully Booked and Goodwill Bookstore focus on book retailing rather than offering school supplies. Even if firms compete with same books and other materials, the pricing strategy of NBS is relatively lowest among rivalry. This has been one of the advantages of NBS throughout the decades past.
Lastly, competition has already transcended on internet based systems by delivering online services which fast-paced technology-driven consumers demand. Almost all competing firms have already adapt this change and continually to develop further their online marketing, promotions and strategies.
B. Threat of New Entrants - Moderate
Threats of new entrants for NBS is moderate since factors of relative price of substitute, low product differentiation, big switching cost to buyers, easy access to distribution channels and high capital requirement is considered.
Relatively, strong partnerships with publishers would be advantageous for potential entering firms. Moreover, it is......

...[pic]National Bookstore is the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines with 92 branches in the country.[1] It was set to open its first overseas branch, in Hong Kong, in September 2007. National Bookstore was established in the late 1930s in Escota, Manila, as a small stall selling school supplies and textbooks. At the end of the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, the whole Escota area was burned, the shop destroyed in the conflagration. The Cancio-Ramos family, the owners, were able to rebuild National Bookstore at the corner of Avenida (now bonifacio Avenue) and Sollar. National Bookstore was able to recover due to the post-war boom selling school supplies, mostly books and stationery. '
National Book Store (NBS) is a privately held Philippines-based company that operates book stores across the country. The company offers books, school and office supplies, gifts, toys, music, and videos. Additionally, it provides services such as binding, balloon making, color stamp printing, engraving, gift wrapping, lamination, photocopying and scrapbooking. The company primarily operates in Philippines, where it is headquartered in Mandaluyong City and employs about 2,500 people.
Datamonitor's National Book Store, Inc. Company Profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. National Book Store, Inc. Company Profile examines the company's key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue......

...Introduction
Currently the University Bookstore is facing an obsolescence of its unsold textbooks in the warehouse. This memo is trying to find the inventory estimation method, the major causes of loss, and suggestions to improve bookstore’s internal control.
Retail Method/Cost-To-Retail Ratio
Retail method and estimation method are the two ways to estimate inventory. For the University Bookstore and other retailers, retail method is the better choice. First, the retail method is easier to use. Because of the seasonal sales period and a wide variety of products with different costs, it is complicated for retailers to record every product’s costs, prices and sales. The retail method allows retailers to make physical counts in summer break when the bookstore is not busy. Also, retailers just need to record the retail price of inventory instead of recording cost, retail prices, and total sales. Second, by relying on the current cost-to-retail ratio rather than historical cost, the retail method is acceptable by GAAP.
For retail method, cost-to-retail ratio is one of the most important information for retailers to estimate inventory. Cost-to-retail ratio for new and used books can be calculated by using the following formula: Cost of goods available for sale/ (Retail price of goods available for sale + Net markups). The cost-to-retail ratio for new books is 0.7297, and for used books is 0.5813. Then the reported ending inventory on June 10, 2010 is $707,901 for new books...

...outrank you or with people outside your organization, an added measure of courtesy is usually needed. Written communication and most forms of electronic media generally require more tact than oral communication (Figure 5.2). When you’re speaking, your words are softened by your tone of voice and facial expression. Plus, you can adjust your approach according to the feedback you get. If you inadvertently offend someone in writing or in a podcast, for example, you usually won’t get the immediate feedback you would need to resolve the situation. In fact, you may never know that you offended your audience.
Emphasizing the Positive
During your career, you will have many occasions to communicate bad news—maybe dozens or hundreds of times. As you rise through the ranks of management, you will encounter situations in which unpleasant news can significantly affect the personal and financial well-being of employees, customers, and investors. However, there is a big difference between delivering negative news and being negative. When the tone of your message is negative, you put unnecessary strain on business relationships, which can cause people to distance themselves from you and your ideas. If you’re facing a potentially negative situation, look for ways to soften the blow or emphasize positive aspects of a situation. For example, when Alaska Airlines instituted surcharges for heavy luggage in an attempt to reduce injuries to baggage handlers, the company presented the change to......

...I. Background
Introduction
National Book Store is the largest bookstore and offices supply store chain in the Philippines. It is the place where most of the students get all their essentials from school to recreational materials. NBS has numerous branches scattered all over the archipelago. National Book Store is a joint venture of retail giants SM Prime Holdings (75%) and Ayala Corporation (25%). Robinsons Land Corporation and Megaworld Corporation exited the twenty year-old National Book Store retail joint venture on 1 January 2010.
History
Founded by the late José Ramos along with his wife Socorro Cáncio-Ramos, the company has evolved from a small stall in Escolta that sold supplies, GI novels, and school textbooks. When the Second World War broke out, strict book censorship enforced by the Japanese occupying forces forced them into selling soaps, candies, and slippers instead, buying their merchandise from wholesalers and peddling them to smaller retailers.
The Escolta area was razed during the 1945 Battle of Manila, and the Ramoses rebuilt their business by initially erecting a barong-barong (makeshift stall) at the corner of Soler and Avenida Rizal. In time to catch the post-War boom, they returned to selling textbooks, notebooks, pad paper, and pencils, the sales being good at the time as they had little competition. National Book Store was strategically opened in time to welcome school year 1946–1947.
After a typhoon in 1948 destroyed the store and......

...against the 75th percentile. The Bookstore is quite well run and has been regularly turning in increasing profits which currently lie above the 75th percentile. Benchmarking against anything lower risks reducing management's drive to do better since their bottom line is already above that.
If Northlake were experiencing financial difficulty, I would recommend benchmarking against the 50th percentile. This would represent average performance which psychologically would not seem to be too far out of reach. That way employee morale would not suffer.
Question 4
I would suggest that Northlake benchmark its superior performance selling customer materials against itself, against previous years’ performance. That performance can be looked up in the NACS tables to determine the appropriate percentile. As things stand now, Northlake is doing very well in this department and is way above most college bookstores. Any benchmarking against lower percentiles runs the risk of getting the employees complacent, an attitude which could bleed into other departments. The other issue is that this department at current performance levels helped raise the bottom line to where it is now. It made up for other weaknesses that Northlake has. It would be unwise to let this decline.
Question 5
Since this other bookstore is in the immediate vicinity, the product lines should be benchmarked to local comparison points. This assumes the data from the other bookstore were available. It would be......

...Shrestha
202010
MIS-4653
Individual assignment #1
a. A database for the university bookstore would be of great help in maintaining control over the inventory which is very important for the efficiency and profitability of the bookstore. The new system would also help the bookstore to maintain details about the books, publishers, customers, payments etc. This new database would also help the bookstore to create its customers profile based on their preferences and send information about any new editions to the book they like or any other bookstore deal, directly to the customer. The database for the bookstore can also provide accurate information about the stock in house and a clear picture of the stock levels regarding the books and supplies that is present at a particular point of time. It can be of great help as it will make sure that the bookstore has sufficient stock to meet the demands of the students without overstocking. A database also can help in studying the trend that’s going on which could again help in forecasting the future demand for products and supplies. One can monitor the movement of all different types of products and supplies and can identify the best sellers and the slow movers based on which one can rationalize the different types of product and concentrate more on the products that result in maximum profit.
b. The major topics of this database for the bookstore would be the following:
* Customer: The main points would include customer ID,......

...through the well diversifiedbranches of the company. 3. Market
National Bookstore envisions itself to build a thousands of strongknowledge centers not only in the country but throughout the Asia – PacificRegion. 4. Technology
To attain its goal, National Bookstore continues to grow. It is stated in theMV statement that the company will be able to reach their customers through itsgrowing branch network. 5. Survival, Growth and Profitability
National Bookstore is company who envisions itself to be the leadingbookstore not only in the country but to the entire Asia-Pacific region by the year 2025.
6. Philosophy
The values embraced by the company, its owners and employees iscontained in the acronym MINDSET that is to have Malasakit (to be concernedto or with), to be INnovative in their products and services, to have a strongsense of Dignity in everything they do, to be Service-oriented, strive for Excellence and to work as a Team. The company believes that having thismindset is their key to success.These values guide each employee and the whole company itself in theway how the business is being conducted. The company is concerned with theproducts and service they offer that is why they want to be innovative in the bestway they can to provide a higher sense of satisfaction to its customers. Thecompany also...
National Bookstore Philippines Research
[pic]National Bookstore is the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines with 92 branches in the country.[1] It was......

...National Bookstore: A Profile Of Its Marketing Mix
National Bookstore is the largest bookstore chain in the Philippines with 92 branches in the country.[1] It was set to open its first overseas branch, in Hong Kong, in September 2007. National Bookstore was established in the late 1930s in Escota, Manila, as a small stall selling school supplies and textbooks. At the end of the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, the whole Escota area was burned, the shop destroyed in the conflagration. The Cancio-Ramos family, the owners, were able to rebuild National Bookstore at the corner of Avenida (now bonifacio Avenue) and Sollar. National Bookstore was able to recover due to the post-war boom selling school supplies, mostly books and stationery. '
National Book Store (NBS) is a privately held Philippines-based company that operates book stores across the country. The company offers books, school and office supplies, gifts, toys, music, and videos. Additionally, it provides services such as binding, balloon making, color stamp printing, engraving, gift wrapping, lamination, photocopying and scrapbooking. The company primarily operates in Philippines, where it is headquartered in Mandaluyong City and employs about 2,500 people.
Datamonitor's National Book Store, Inc. Company Profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. National Book Store, Inc. Company Profile examines the company's key business structure and operations, history and products,......

...Concord Bookstore
University of Phoenix
Creating Change within Organizations HCS587
David Harrell
16 January, 2012
*
The Concord Bookshop is a small town bookstore with a 64-year history and a cultural appeal enjoyed by the citizens of the town. In recent years the economic environment created fierce competition for the bookstore, coupled with a need for innovative technology meant a need for restructuring. The financial status of the bookshop was in grave distress.
Fearing financial ruin the board members made a unanimous decision to implement significant changes. However, the board did not take the necessary steps of including the appropriate stakeholders in the change process and obtaining employee support. Several phases of organization change were not executed during the Concord Bookshop discussion, which ultimately led to the failure of the company.
Strategic Renewal
The board did not consider the employees talent, capabilities or experience as an important component to achieve the future goals of the bookstore (Spector, 2010). The residents of Concord frequented the bookstore, yet the board did not seek customer or employee support for their vision. Appropriate consultation may have saved the bookstore from financial despair. By failing to see the importance of stakeholder input and implementing changes before any valuable dialogue took place led to the gradual destruction of the bookstore.
Strategic renewals are required by......